The Batman: Colin Farrell says Penguin’s screen time is limited

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

Grab yourself an umbrella because some details about Matt Reeves' The Batman are about to come raining down.

Recently, while engaging in a chinwag with MTV's Josh Horowitz, Colin Farrell revealed that his character, Oswald Cobblepot, will appear in the film for a finite amount of time. "I'm only in it for five or six scenes [as Penguin], so I can't wait to see the film 'cause it won't be ruined by my presence," Farrell explained. "It's a freebie for me. I'll get a little uncomfortable for the fucking nine minutes I have and then the rest I cannot wait to see how [writer/director Matt Reeves] brought this world to life."

In addition to talking about the length of his screentime (or lack thereof), Farrell also waxed rhapsodic about the challenges of filming during the pandemic. "Obviously, COVID began to grip the world while we were shooting and I left London in March [2020] and we were still down for four or five months," said Ferrell. "And then we went back and then obviously [Bruce Wayne actor] Robert [Pattinson] got sick and that was like, 'Fucking Batman has COVID?'"

Directed by Matt Reeves (Cloverfield, Let Me In), The Batman stars Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne/Batman, Paul Dano as Edward Nashton/Riddler, Zoe Kravitz as Selina Kyle/Catwoman, Andy Serkis as Alfred Pennyworth, John Turturro as Carmine Falcone, Colin Farrell as Oswald Cobblepot/Penguin, Peter Sarsgaard as District Attorney Gil Colson, Jeffrey Wright as James Gordon, and more. Plot details are scarce at this time, though the trailer would suggest that the story takes place during the early days of Batman's crime-fighting career.

The upcoming superhero film also looks to be taking some liberties with classic characters, especially The Riddler, who appears in the trailer as a duct tape-happy psychopath looking to test Batman's detective skills that have yet to be honed. For the moment, there's no telling what other surprises are in store, but now that the film is in pre-production, there's a chance we could see a new trailer before long. Perhaps at this year's DC Fandome? The fan-service event takes place online this October 16. Last year's show was full of surprises and reveals so, be sure to tune in to find out the latest from DC Films and beyond.